


Fig Crackers and Flowers

by hollyvander



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, First Kiss, Picnics, this is my first ever les mis fic oh my gosh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 08:49:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6976228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollyvander/pseuds/hollyvander
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cosette and Eponine are English partners, but they don't really get much English done.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fig Crackers and Flowers

"I feel like you shop fucking exclusively at Trader Joe's," said Eponine. 

Cosette straightened as if ready to defend the entire bourgeois population. "Courf does most of the shopping," she said. "I just make the lists."

Wordlessly, each girl grasped an end of the white sheet between them, stepped backwards. Cosette squinted in concentration as she smoothed out the corners. "I printed out lists of-"

"So did I," said Eponine.

"Oh! In that case, let's compare, see what authors we have in common."

"I know I don't have the GPA of anyone in your squad, but don't assume I would be a shit partner, okay?" Eponine scuffed her combat boots through the grass. 

"Oh my gosh, no. I just- I was surprised we had the same idea," said Cosette. "Do you like fig crackers?"

Eponine pretended to know what fig crackers were. She held out her hand expectantly. On the sheet, an ant stumbled in circles. 

Something hit Eponine's cheek. Her head snapped up just in time to see Cosette clapping both hands over her mouth. "I'm so sorry! I thought you would catch it?"

"I don't even know what a fig cracker is. How would I know how to catch one?" Eponine said. 

"Softball? Instinct?" asked Cosette. "Just forget it, I'm so sorry."

"How do you know I play softball?" Eponine tried very hard not to imagine Cosette ever attending one of her games, in one of her light pink dresses. Probably with cute sunglasses. And Feuilly. 

Anyways. Eponine focused on crumbling the fig cracker for her ant. 

"You, um, you wear your team sweatshirt a lot," Cosette said. 

"Lamarque's room is like the fucking tundra."

"Or Russia in winter."

A surprised laugh escaped Eponine. "Or, shit, an ice pack in a fourth grader's lunch box."

"Or Hoth," said Cosette. 

"Or my cold, shit English partner heart."

Cosette flopped onto the sheet. Her landing was dangerously close to Eponine's knee. "I'm really sorry about that."

"It's alright, I was just fucking with you," said Eponine. "You like Star Wars?"

"My brother loves it. I think he would disown me if I didn't at least know who Princess Leia was."

"Your brother has a crush on the baddest bitch in space?"

"No," said Cosette. "But five year old Cosette probably did. I had so many posters, you couldn't see my walls."

"Where was five year old Cosette getting her Leia Poster Funds?" Eponine felt her cheeks heating up as she racked her brain for any similarities between herself and Princess Leia. 

"Lemonade stands. I was an entrepreneur," said Cosette. Both girls dissolved into giggles.

If Eponine looked too long at Cosette's eyelashes trembling as she laughed, it was between her and Leia Organa. 

"Maybe we should- need to get to work," said Cosette. 

"Or we could eat Courf's fancy vegan cheese," said Eponine, still laughing. "Wait. That was a really shit partner thing to say."

"No, no. That's sounds-" Cosette looked up at Eponine, which was really unfair because now she would never be able to focus on English. "- I would like that."

As Cosette buttered a piece of toast, Eponine put all her energy towards not imagining coming back to this park months later, holding Cosette's hand and no homework. 

Eponine wished she could say the silence felt comfortable, like a pair of boots long broken in. But she was too distracted, too aware of Cosette's arm brushing hers, to feel anything but potential blisters. 

"You know, we're awfully close to Courf's beloved Trader Joe's," said Cosette. "If we aren't going to work, I would really like to take some free samples and lollipops." Cosette sat up. "Only if you want to, of course."

"Yeah," said Eponine. "I don't anywhere else to be." If Leia Organa were here, she would be calling Eponine a liar. But Grantaire would understand blowing off smoking for Cosette.

The girls hastily packed their food and schoolwork. Eponine tossed Cosette her keys. "Let's go take down the fucking bourgeoisie."

In the car, Eponine wondered if it would be rude to text during a Not Date. She glanced over to Cosette, only to find clear blue eyes already looking at her. "Hi," said Cosette. "We're here." 

"Do you plan all of your cute picnic outings this close to Trader Joe's?" 

Cosette giggled. "It was actually my friend's idea to take you here." 

Eponine stopped cold, which in retrospect was a little dramatic. "You asked Courfeyrac where you should invite me to study?" 

"Oh gosh, I just thought-" Eponine stepped forward. 

"No- that's not- shit." Eponine coughed. "Thank you, Cosette." 

If any Trader Joe's customers were startled to find two girls, without reusable shopping bags, grinning at each other in front of the salads, they did not say anything.

Eponine thought everything was going sort of perfectly. Until Cosette nearly chocked on organic chickpea hummus. 

The sample guy, who seemed just alarmed as Eponine and slightly more pissed off, passed Cosette a cup of water. 

"I don't think lollipops would be a good idea right now," said Cosette. She looked so apologetic, Eponine almost laughed. 

"There's something I want to get before we leave, if that's alright?" 

Cosette kicked Eponine's ankle. "Are you really supporting the bourgeoisie? I need to call Courfeyrac, so I'll meet you outside."

As soon as Cosette stepped out of the store, Eponine stopped pretending to look for fancy cheeses to buy what she needed as quickly as possible. 

Eponine didn't even know roses came in light blue, but they matched Cosette's eyes perfectly, so she kind of didn't care. 

"Hey," Eponine said. "These, these are for you."

Cosette stepped forward to inspect the flowers. She was so close, Eponine could see her breath shaking the petals. "Thank you."

Eponine smiled and devoted most of her willpower to not fucking talking. 

"Could I maybe kiss you, Eponine?"

Eponine nodded mutely and clutched the flowers. 

Cosette kissed like she talked, sure and sweet. Her teeth bumped Eponine's lips as she smiled into her mouth. She felt a bit like laughing and a little like crying. Mostly, she just felt like kissing back.

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this for my friend in a very boring class, but i thought it was worth posting because there are never enough f/f les mis fanfics!! 
> 
> [my twitter is @leylining and I'm on tumblr @treegansey]


End file.
